Marc's Journal

Hi, my name's Marc and it's been...

... four days since my last blog. I guess I'm conscious of not turning my blog into a "today I woke up, showered, and sat around, played with my dog, read a bit, went to sleep" kind of blog. I want it to be something that's going to be at last half interesting for those of you I've forced to subscribe! *laugh*

Yes, don't think you're the only one :P

What's new? Well, we had a long weekend here in Australia. ANZAC day I think, and shoot me now if I got it wrong 'cos that would be very unpatriotic of me. Not that I really think we should be celebrating death and war and destruction. Heros? They shot people. I think the heros are the people who don't fight. If only we could get *everyone* onboard for that one. Not going to happen, still, I can dream.. hehe

Hrm.. I detect I've been a little influenced by the last book I read. Well, it's a trilogy, but conveniently packaged up into one volume. K-PAX. You might have seen the movie, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey. Great stuff. The "omnibus" comes with prot's report on Earth, too. Which is lovely and damning, but he certainly raises some good points.

Basically prot is one of the personalities of a guy suffering from, you guessed it, multiple personality disorder. Or is he? prot claims to be from the planet K-PAX, where everything is wonderful, far from the troubles we humans have. Whilst he's around, he makes a report on Earth to report back to his fellow K-PAXians.

Inspired by Oliver Sacks's "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat", you find yourself drawn into the book so much that you find yourself wishing prot really *was* from K-PAX, and that his vision of what people can really be like is true. The book, obviously going into more detail than the movie, goes deeper into the psychoanalysis of Robert (prot's host), as well as the different patients at the same institute.

It's a wonderful book because of it's insight into the world of psychoanalysis, multiple personality disorder, as well as prot's report on how to fix what's wrong with the world. It's one of those books where you come away having learnt something, as well as being thoroughly entertained. And there's a strong message in this book too, very positive. So yes, I do think I've been influenced by it a little. Read this book!

I was up until 5am last night finishing it. Ewps!

What else.. Well, over the long weekend I felt a little discombobulated. It was weird, I didn't feel like doing anything. When I tried to do something, I found it wasn't something I wanted to do. Nothing was. Strange. Chatting with a friend last night, and having seen some indoor rock climbing on Queer Eye, I decided I had to do something *different*. So I investigated a few local indoor climbing places, and I'm going to promise myself to get along to one of them to have a go. To do something physical for once. And my friend and I have always talked about taking up a martial art. So, we made more plans for that, again. After I go back to visit my parents in the country, I think I'll be starting Aikido. Those of you who know me, would know I'm a bit of a pacifist, so it's rather interesting I should be attracted to a martial art. As well as it being fighting, I mean, how butch! All that grunting and testosterone. That's why I'm choosing Aikido, apparently it means "the way of harmony of ki". It's a more spiritual martial art, but no so that it's in-your-face. It's also slower to master if you want to use it to beat people up. It's a standing still but strong kind of martial art, mainly for defense, not attack. So that all goes well with me. Plus it's a discipline, which is always good, and it'll be good for my health, fitness, flexibility and general well-being. I think it'll be good. We'll see how it goes, I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and it's my last week at Hudson this week. Will probably be very busy. I get to start my new contract next week, back to shirts and ties. Well, at least for a few days.. *laughing*

Missed appointment, new contract, new job!

Well, I was supposed to have a meeting with one of the heads of departments at UniSA yesterday, but it didn't eventuate. She was probably too busy. She is the head of department, afterall. At least I think she is. I had emailed her to ask about the possibility of doing external subjects at UniSA whilst I was doing the double degree of International Studies/Media Studies at Adelaide Uni. She replied back saying she was writing UniSA's curriculum of that double degree at that particular point, and it was best that I came saw her. I was thinking she was going to try to convince me to come study there, rather than Adelaide Uni. Adelaide is closer, like about 10 minutes walk, and UniSA is like a bus away. But still, the reason I wanted to do subjects there still exists; they have practical courses in film/television, whereas Adelaide only has theory, it's practicals are in radio and multimedia. Zzzzzzzzz.

So yeah, I guess she was busy. I'll keep you updated when I do eventually get to speak to her. She's seems prettty interesting, she has a doctorate, and she's pretty interested in youth and media. She's currently researching a book on Madonna. How cool is that.. :) So yeah, I'm looking forward to meeting her.. :)

New contract? Yeah - the booking system we've had the proposal in for *ages* has finally come through. Looks good - initially providing a booking system to 3 in a franchise, up to a possible 13 at a later date. Pretty big stuff. The actual system should be fairly simple, but overall it's going to be a big learning experience.

We have to worry about maintaining current versions across multiple sites, providing support, updates, patches, training, all that. Should be good, and a good start to my business, too. If we're successful in presenting this application to 13 in a franchise, then it could spread elsewhere. That's our goal, I suppose, as well as branching the software out to meet other needs as they arise, too.

So that's all good. It's the income that will allow me to be a fulltime student, so I'm really looking forward to it.. :)

New job? Well, it's still a contract, but I'm a contractor, rather than the business providing the software. I've previously been contracting at Hudson, working on their learner management system, which is really fascinating, actually. Online learning, it's a big thing. But that contract is due to expire at the end of April and I needed something else part-time whilst I got the majority of the work for the franchises out of the way, so I've just taken a new contract at NRG Flinders, who supply electricity to South Australia. Sounds boring, but the job will be good - Senior Analyst/Programmer, working with a bunch of VB developers and Oracle DBAs. I *think* I'll be the only web developer, but I'm not sure. That starts next month, so I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Parties, interviews and karting

What's been happening? A few things, I guess. My Squeezebox is still going fabulous. I attended an 18th birthday part y on Saturday night for Vanessa, one of the girls in 42nd Street. The theme was "come as your favourite musicals character, or else". Well, I ummed and arrred for ages about this one. I mean, how many male musical characters don't simply wear a suit? Or casual clothes? What male character has a distinctive look?

Franknfurter, that's who.

Pics to come :p

Was a good party. Have discovered that high heels make your calves look very sexy. Even if they hurt like hell. Almost broke my ankle trying them on in the sex shop where I bought them. Didn't fancy my chances of hiring size 12 high heels.. *laugh* Oh well, guess I'll flog them off to the next tall drag queen I see :)

I certainly got a lot of attention at the party. For those of you who don't know me, I'm 6'3". I'm not sure how big the heels were, I'd say about 5 inch? Bloody big. People didn't recognise me because of the extra height. Or the outfit, or the makeup. I have this to say though, *thank god* I didn't recognise myself after putting on the makeup and wig.

I met Vanessa's best friend Annie at her place (she lives next door) to prepare.. Annie went to the party as Colombia (also from Rocky Horror) so it was a good match. She helped me with the makeup and the styling. I think we did pretty well.. *laugh* My first time in drag.. Lets also say it's the last! *grin*

The party was good, was excellent to catch up with cast members again. Even if I will see most of them this Friday when we go together to see Jesus Christ Superstar. Lets see, who was there. Sydney came as his alter-ego "Paige". That made two of us in heels. The birthday girl was Sally Bowles, from Cabaret, and a very good one, too. That was going to be my second choice of costume.. *grin* Rowan was Cosmo from Singing in the Rain.. Shelly the witch from Into the Woods, Sebastian was the Phantom.. Although I only saw him his outfit once because it was too hot apparently. He should try wearing a wig and surgeon's gown! And as Seb does at cast parties, he got quite drunk. What a sweet guy, really, drunk or sober. Very sweet. Gorgeous too, but that only adds to his sweetness... *grin* Who else.. oh, we had Josie and the Pussycats, Mamma Mia, Hair, people from all sorts of shows.

What else happened.. Oh, I had a job interview at NRG Flinders, a utilities company here in South Australia. They sell their electricity on the national market, or something. They're one of the resulting companies when our government energy provider split up. It'd be a good job, I think, being the only web developer. There are VB programmers and a couple of Oracle DBAs, but my role would be the development of the intranets. Sounds good, and the guys I met at the interview seemed really nice. I never know how to conduct myself in interviews anymore, I think gone are the days of yes sir no sir, just like they teach you at school. The interviews I go to seem more like chats with friends and colleagues. I think that's important, though, it enables them to work out if they'd actually like working with you, rather than just if you can do the job or not. And if they've half a clue about the technologies involved, they can tell you know what you're doing just by the way you talk about stuff you've done. Much more important than having a ton of acronyms on a resume. I think they want someone fulltime, I'm only available part-time, so I guess I'll see how it goes.

Oh! Oh! I'm going karting again tonight! Time to come last again! *laughing* Last year, I went with Craig and a bunch of workmates to karting, where we had 4 races of 15 laps or something. I came last, go me! *laugh* I wouldn't have come last expect for one shitty situation. I tell this to everyone as justification, you decide :p Here's what happened. Basically, if you came last in a race, you ended up at the start of the grid for the next race. So basically, the second race I was up near the front (I didn't come last in the first race), so I finished the second race reasonably ok. It's a tight track, so it's hard to overtake. Anyway, it's the last race, and Alex & I are stuck at the front of the grid, based on coming last and second to last in the previous race. So we're holding the front of the pack for like 90% of the race. I was going to come first. It was all set. Then some guy comes up behind me and going around a corner, shoves me into the wall. And all of a sudden we've got a pileup! Alex keeps going, and the rest of us are stuck, and I'm embedded between the wall and the rest of the drivers. So the stewards come out, wave the yellow flag, and then straighten out all the cars. Who do they straighten out first? The bastard that shoved me into the wall. And because I was the most stuck, I was straightened out last. So what position did I come? Last. From first to last, and all because that bastard shoved me into the wall. It would have only been fair to have put us all back at the positions we were before the crash, but there you have it. Last.

I'm going to play much more aggressive tonight. If that guy is there.. then.. grrrrr

You! Yes you! Do you love your MP3?

*swoon*

Ok, confessions of a gadget-queen. I love my gadgets. I got my latest gadget today. This exceeds any gadget you could possibly imagine having. Well, as long as you love your mp3. And you're sick of them playing off your computer and ignoring the lovely stereo you might have in your lounge. And if you are, then THIS IS FOR YOU! Trust me. It's a Squeezebox, by Slim Devices. I got the wireless version, but it also does ethernet. It basically plays the mp3s from my LAN, straight to my stereo. Well, in my case, straight to my Creative Extigy and my 6.1 speakers. With a very sexy interface, and *amazingly* easy to use remote control. Gives you the quickest access to your music collection.

And my collection is pretty big. You can search for tracks, create playlists on the fly, browse artists, albums, all those things you're used to doing in Winamp or Media Player. But this is sexier! And so easy to use.

This is what it took to install it.

Install software on the server, pick the music folder, pick a playlist folder.
Plug the thing in.
Turn it on.
Confirm the wireless settings.
Confirm it's new ip address (or use DHCP).
Pick your gateway.

Bingo, it's ready to show you what music you've got, and play it straight to your stereo.

Oh - firmware updates. Normally a pain in the arse, right? Not for your Squeezebox. I turned it on. It said "Updates available, press and hold brightness to install". I found the brightness button on my remote, pushed it, and bingo, firmware update done.

I mean, this is laughable. Nothing is supposed to be this easy. Nothing *is* this easy. Like, who the hell makes hardware like this? No one. It's simple, sexy, and a brilliant idea and yes I know I can't stop gushing.

I think I'm making my iPod jealous.

It's my new gadget and I'm in love.

Enrolment!

Well, as much as this post will leave me exposed to ridicule from my best friend (more about that later), I'm pleased to announce that today I enrolled in a subject at uni. Just one. And non-award, too, which means it's not part of a bachelor degree. Well, it *can* be part of a bachelor degree, it's just that this year, when I do it, it won't be. What's the subject? "Image, Text and Representation". It's a media studies subject, on advertising, media, etc. Should be interesting.

Why am I doing it? To test the water of university, I guess. To exercise my brain. For fun. To say I'm a uni student. I dunno, all sorts of reasons, but it's still very exciting.

I'm going to wait and see what other time I can put aside, and possibly enrol in a couple of other subjects in Semester 2 also, being the generic "Media Studies", and "Introduction to Comparative Politics".

I'm doing these, because if I test the water of university and find it's to my liking, I want to enrol fulltime next year. The course I have my eye on is a double degree of International Studies/Media. Not because I want a job in them, or looking for a career change, or even that I need it for my current job. I'm simply interested in the topics covered therein.

It's also a good excuse to limber up my brain again, but in an official capacity.

I guess it's a little daunting though. Fulltime study. Haven't done that for many a year. Plus it's uni - all the other study I've done has been at TAFE, a technical college, so it's not *really* full on. But I guess that's what these non-award studies are also for - working out how you'll like uni. I don't *have* to go onto do the full degree, I can stick with non-award topics as long as I like, really. Whenever I get around to applying for the degree, I get recognition for all these non-award subjects.

Why am I finally looking at going to uni? Because this year I may end up working on project that should see me with income over the next few years, with minimum ongoing work, only a lump sum of work at the beginning. It's 99% in the bag, so it'll just be a hard slog for the next 6 months, and then I should be set for 2-3 years. I never wanted to be a poor uni student - I want to keep my CBD apartment, and the lifestyle that I've got. Hopefully I can have that, as well as study. I couldn't think of anything better.

Here's hoping eh?

Oh - and why should I be open to ridicule from my best friend? Only 'cos I start many things and finish none. Will this current fad go the same way as my MCAD, my other online uni studies, my book website... Probably.. *laugh* Do I deserve the ridicule? Definately.. *grin*

BUT!!! When I get my degree he has to learn a language.. Long story.. *laughing* I wonder if a double degree means two languages.. ;)

I think I'd better...

Isn't it amazing how music can express things so clearly?

Here, let this page express something I'm feeling.

Memories of Scotland...

It's past 6pm, and I'm still at work. Guess that's my fault, since I slept in and didn't get in until late. Still, I'm having a productive day, doing some stuff I'd basically been putting off, and that I thought would be a bit tricky. Turns out it's not, so it's all good.

I'm listening to Dido's album "Life for Rent". It's reminding me of Scotland, it's quite eerie actually. When Craig and I were in Edinburgh, we hired a car for three days and took a tour north and east of Edinburgh. We just drove until we stopped. It was great. This album invokes those memories because it was one of the few CDs we had with us in the car. It was playing when were driving around, and now I have memories of the countryside we drove through. Driving through the lush green sides of Loch Ness. The brand new turbo hirecar zipping along like we were in a car ad. Getting to a junction and taking one just for the hell of it. Driving past castles and saying "nah, we've already seen 4 today, we'll skip that one".

One of these songs even has what sounds like seagulls in it. That reminds me of the place we stayed in, Portree, on the Isle of Skye. We were right down at the docks, we could see the fishing boats come in and out.. it was almost as if they'd been doing exactly the same thing for hundreds of years. They probably were.

We wandered out at night to grab fish and chips, and then to a pub. Was great, very atmospheric, and I'd certainly go there again. It was pretty mystical really.

But here I am, back in Adelaide. Listening to Dido and remembering those long windy roads, and the hills, the waterfalls, the greenery, and the lochs, the castles.

I'm going to love this album :)

It's official

There is to be another season of 42nd Street! This one probably for 6 performances only, in July this year. It was announced after we completed Saturday's matinee performance, which would have been our second to last show. And then we went onto final night, which wasn't actually final night afterall.

Damn, really. I was looking forward to going "thank god that's the last time I'll do that". Everyone was so excited about the opportunity to do the show again. The director had tears in his eyes, and everyone was jumping up and down getting really excited.

Do I really want to do it? Not really. Will I? Of course I will. Pride will never let me watch someone else do my role.. *laugh* Plus I don't want to let anyone down.

It's just that I don't really like performing. Sound strange for a dancer/actor/singer? Sure does. But what I love about theatre is the rehearsals. The creative side of it. The learning, the doing. The changing, the tweaking, the practising. Once we get to opening night, the creativity stops (for the most part) and we just have to do the same thing every night. *With* an audience to watch closely to see if you get anything wrong. I'm so critical of my own ability that I almost vomit every night before the opening, 'cos I'm so worried about stuffing up.

I so wish I was back on production teams - all creative, nothing else. No performance anxiety, you get to rehearse, work with a great cast, you get to create, mold, shape, and teach. Your baby comes to life and then you give it over to talented people to perform. I'm not good enough to not worry about my performance. And the worry kills me.

Do I want another season? Hell no.. *laugh* But I'll do it though, that's what theatre is all about.. :)

End of an era?

It's over. Well, not over, it's just changed. For the better? I guess so. What on earth am I talking about? Craig and I. We broke up on Saturday after a relationship of 15 months.

We wanted different things, and neither of us wanted to change. Not because we're stubborn, although we both are really stubborn, but because we're happy with who we are and what we want. Craig wanted the intensity of a relationship like you feel for the first couple of months. I wanted the comfortable feeling you only get after a year together. Craig was already getting more from me than most people do, more than my friends were getting, and it wasn't enough for him. I couldn't give more. And it was causing issues; I was getting in trouble for not being able to give him more. So the time we did have together was lessened by him wanting more and getting upset that he wasn't.

So we wanted different things, and couldn't continue the way we were, so we ended it. Effectively we've just reduced the expectations we had of each other. Craig no longer expects me to spend more time with him, he treats me like a close friend. You don't have screaming fits at your friends, or SMS them in the middle of the night with nasty messages out of the blue.

I'm independant, and like it. My life isn't made complete by having someone else in it. I don't want a boyfriend who is a fulltime job, I want a boyfriend to fit quite nicely in the gaps between work, private life, theatre, business, and friends. Craig didn't fit. Craig wanted someone he could immerse himself in, who would do the same in return. I didn't fit him, either.

So yeah, we're single. All our friends are going "oh, don't see Craig, he'll be too attached, you can't lead him on, you have to distance yourself" and all those other things that friends immediately say when you break up. Frankly, I'm sick of it, so if you're reading this, stop doing it! *laughing* Craig and I haven't had the normal breakup, we don't hate each other, we didn't yell and scream at each other, we're not setting out to be bitter, or hurt the other person, we didn't break up because we preferred someone else. And because of that, neither of us see the reason we should behave like everyone else does.

We're friends! We're still in love, we still have a lot of affection for each other. We just had too many expectations, they weren't being met, and it was making us unhappy. If anything, we've gone back to the start, when were still just friends, but now we know there's no point getting together 'cos it won't work out. At the start Craig always said "I'm not a long-term relationship kind of person", meaning he didn't want the long term "comfortable" relationship, he wanted the short term excitement relationship, the honeymoon period, etc. I told him "I'll burn out if you expect that, I can't give it to you". Turns out we were both right. So we had a civil conversation, and civilly decided we couldn't work as lovers.

So there you have it. Single again. And happy - I have a great friend out of it. I get my own life back. I have freedom, I can see my friends, and I don't have to worry about not being able to meet Craig's needs. So if you're expecting me to be miserable 'cos I've just had a breakup, forget it. We both made a choice that makes us happier, so I'm happier.

Do I think too much? Sometimes. Has it worked in my favour this time? Certainly has. And in Craig's favour, too. It's all good. :)

Sold Out!

42nd Street is officially sold out! During the interval of watching Never the Sinner last night, my fellow 42nd Streeter, Chris Eaton, told me that the final four performance of 42nd Street have sold out. How good is that?! :)

We had a pretty good Sunday matinee, too. We got a standing ovation! How sweet is that! The show has been going pretty good for me lately, after probably Friday night. I blitzed the opening routine, which put me in a fantastic mood for the rest of the show. Even Saturday night's opening seemed easier now that I'd actually blitzed an opening.

So I'm not throwing up before curtain opening anymore.. hehe I think I'm finally really enjoying each moment of it, by final night I probably *will* be a blubbering mess 'cos I'll be missing everyone.

Oh a similiar theatre note, I spoke to a *fantastic* musical director the other night, who'd been told about my intent to direct a show at the Hills next year. Of course, no one can talk about *which* show until the rights have been secured, but I told her anyway and she was very eager. I was most honoured, firstly because she's just fabulous, but secondly that she said she saw my performance, was very impressed with my style and acting, so she has utmost confidence in me to do the show. How good did I feel? :)

So yeah, everything theatrewise is looking pretty good. I ordered the book, the DVD and the vocal score for that show from Amazon, and that arrived the other day, which was great. Sat and read the book, then watched the DVD. I can't believe I have to wait until second show next year to put it on. Oh well, knowing me, it'll be blocked, the set will be designed, the poster will be done, and the programme will be ready for printing, all by the end of this year.. hehe It's my first show, I can't be too prepared! :)

I also spoke to a number of friends and important-type people about directing a play for the Adelaide Feast Festival this year. I ended up seeing the director out in a pub on Friday night, so we chatted then, so that's looking pretty good. Just have to find a company to produce.

Yay! I'm all theatre excited :)